Device for manipulating contact lenses



July 3, 1945. E. w. EWESON DEVICE FOR MANIPULATING CONTACT LENSES Filed Oct. 1:, 1943 In H r INVENTOR ATTORN EYS Patented July 3, 1945 Eric W. llweson, New York, N. Y. Application October 13, 1943, Serial No. 506,086

1 Claim. (o1. 294-64) This invention relates to devices for m nipulating contact lenses,

which said lenses are a variety of optical lenses shaped to the contour of the eyeball and worn in contact with the eyeball and held in place b the eyelids.

Heretofore it has [been manipulate such lenses in inserting and removing them by means of a small rubber bulb having a suction cup surrounding the bulb orifice.

Such bulbs have not been entirely satisfactory for avariety of reasons. For example, the suction provided by the bulb is very weak, and the lenses are frequently dropped and broken. Also, it is necessary to hold the bulb carefully to prevent loss of suction and this is frequently awkward while manipulating the lenses. If the suction is accidentally relaxed by slight squeezing I of the bulb, of course, the grip on the lens may be lost. Also in removing a. lens from the eye it has been found necessary to apply considerable pressure to insure an adequate suction grip on the lens which results in discomfort to the user.

It is an object of the present invention to pro.- vide a device which will provide a. stronger suction grip on the lens, which will retain the sucally facilitates the manipulative operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectionon the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

- Figure 3 is atransverse section on the line 3-3 of gure 2.

Referring to the drawing, the device comprises a suction pump consisting of a cylinder l and piston 2,'by means of which suction may be Greated by operation of the piston, a suction cup I, and a flexible tubular member 4 between the cylinder and the suction cup.

In the preferred cylinder l is open wardly at 5 near the bottom, terminating in a small tubular tip 6 forconnection to the flexible tubular member longitudinal slots 1 Jections 8 which The cylinder is provided with to receive and guide the proextend outwardly from the pis:

ton, and by means of which'the piston may be moved longitudinally of the cylinder to create or release the suction therein. Means are provided for locking the piston in suction creating posi-- tion, such means comprising the shoulders 9 at common practic to embodiment illustrated the; at the top and pers inthe upper ends of the slots 1 which engage the projections 8 on giving the piston a slight turn at the end of its upward or suction creating stroke.

- The piston 2 may be of any suitable construction, but preferably comprises a hollow barrel l0 and a head I I between which a packing I2 may 'be secured. .Said packing ma be of any suitable flexible material such as rubber or leather, but I prefer to use a-vinyl chloride resin for the purpose as such resins do not deteriorate when exposed to lubricant and I have found that they provide an extraordinarily.

- ofthe piston is preferably shaped to'conform to the shape of the bottom of the cylinder, in

this case being tapered, in order-to substantially go by a cap l3 having a depending skirt fill the space in the cylinder so as to displace air in the cylinder and increase the suction when the piston is moved upwardly.

The open upper end of the cylinder is closed H which fits into the hollow piston and serves as a guide therefor. The cap may be secured to the cylinder in any suitable manner and limits the upward movement of the piston.

5 The suction cup and flexible tubular member may be made of rubber or of any suitable flexible material such as vinyl chloride. cup and tubular member are integral as shown. If desired, the suction cup may be made in.the shape of an ellipse to facilitate insertion between the eyelids, particularly when removing a lens from the ey In operation, the suction cup is placed against the lens and the piston is moved upwardly in th cylinder and then turned slightly to lock it against the shoulders 9 which hold the piston against retraction unider the influence of atmospheric pressure. Thus the user may hold the device during the any convenient manner without having to apply manual pressure to, restrain the piston. After the manipulation is completed, the piston is released and returned to release the suction.

In the -manipulative operation, the flexible tubular connection between the cylinder and the suction cup is important, particularly when retight seal. The head Preferably themanipulation of the lens in ing motion of the suction cup such as might cause discomfort to the eye.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified and embodied within the scope of the subjoined claim.

I claim as my invention:

A device for manipulating contact lenses which comprises a cylinder and piston, said cylinder having longitudinal slots and said piston having projections extending through said slots, said slots having shoulders adapted to engage said projections to lock said piston at the end of its suction creating stroke.

\ ERIC W. EWESON. 

